Why do cats like being stroked?

Bonded cats that live in a close social group often engage in mutual grooming, also known as allogrooming. This often involves nuzzling and rubbing against each other. While this can look like an adorable display of affection, the real purpose of this behaviour is to transfer pheromones between one another, creating a group scent and a sense of belonging.

But the pleasure of being stroked goes beyond scent transference. Stroking your cat can release endorphins – feel-good hormones – which help your cat feel calm and relaxed. Cats also have a lot of nerve endings in the spots they enjoy being stroked – so it probably just feels good too!

Cats have scent glands on their cheeks and forehead. When you stroke them on these areas of their head, their pheromones are transferred to you, reinforcing that you’re part of their social group. This area is also difficult for your cat to groom, so it can feel extra nice.

Just like the rest of their heads, cats have a lot of scent glands and nerve endings under their chins, making this a favourite spot for strokes and scratches.

Use these tips to pet your cat and discover their favourite spots:

• Always let your cat approach you first
• Extend your hand to check if your cat wants to make contact
• Stroke your cat in the direction their fur grows
• Check if your cat wants you to continue – purring and kneading are positive signs, and some cats may even dribble when they’re particularly enjoying it
• Stay alert to your cat’s body language and watch out for signs – such as tail twitching or flattened ears – that signify they’ve had enough and are becoming overstimulated

If your cat rolls over while being stroked, it may look like an invitation to tickle their tummy. But exposing their abdomen is a sign of feeling comfortable in your company. Most cats don’t enjoy belly rubs, so stick with a scratch under their chin or a tickle on their cheeks instead.

Carefully supervise the interactions between cats and children. Teach them the importance of letting the cat approach them, and show them how to offer their hand to see if your cat wants to be stroked

The parts of the body cats are most likely to groom or nuzzle are those with the highest concentration of scent glands, including:

• Forehead (temporal glands)
• Top of the head (pineal glands)
• Cheeks (cheek glands)
• Around the mouth (perioral glands)
• Under the chin (submandibular glands)
• Base of the tail (supra-caudal glands) – but not for all cats!

Most cats also enjoy being stroked around these areas:

• Neck
• Chest
• Shoulders
• Behind the ears
• On the top of their back